BBA, Nigerian ambassadors Osu and Oduah in a media chat with the media.

 

From L-R: The General Manager, DSTV ,Mr  Martin Mabuto, Bevely Osu, Malvin Oduah and Mr Obinna Aniche, General Manager, Brand Assets/ Marketing Properties.

Lagos, Aug. 29, 2013. Nigeria’s co-contestant at the just concluded Big Brother Africa reality show tagged “The Chase”, Beverly Osu and Melvin Oduah, has said that they are not cheated out of the Big Brother Africa (BBA).

Osu and Oduah made this known to newsmen at the DSTV media presentation of the two Nigerian housemates on Thursday, at Protea Hotel, VI, Lagos.

Oduah said that, ``Nigeria had won more than any other country in Africa, so it is normal for others countries to win also.

``It is not cheating we might be wrongly judged, and the decision of the judges might be wrong but we are not cheated,” he said.

Osu who is a 200 level student in National Open University (NOUN) studying Mass communication, said that ``We dominated in the house, so I believe we are winners.

``We came out with something, the house is a mental challenge, it will take me a long time to thinks of going back there,” she said.

According to her ``I put up the best strategy I could just to get the star prize unfortunately, It didnt get to us.

She however, said that ``I made Nigeria proud; there is no way I won’t go naked because we all do not take our bath clothed.

``I have a relationship with Angelo, and I had a real feelings for him but I did not have sex with him,” Osu said.

``I am a blunt person, I say things as it is and I don’t have regrets saying them,” she added.

She noted that she would still pursue her career in the entertainment industry.

Oduah, who was more on the quiet side, said that he is not jinxed not to have won some trophy.

Oduah had been a runner up in the ``Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS)” 2009, ``Mr Nigeria” runner up 2011 and ``BBA” second runner up respectively 2013.

``It is God’s wish for me and am not questioning him; he thanked Nigerians for voting for him and promised to remain a proud Ambassador”

The co sponsor of BBA, Airtel Nigeria, Obinna Anichie, the Marketing Manager,said they had not planned out the ways to make the two, their ambassadors, said.

It had afforded the chance to touch lives; it was not easy to be in a place for 90 days.

Obinna said Osu broke record for not have been nominated for once for eviction and they stayed till the end.

``We are happy to be part of the show,” he said.

The GM, Marketing DSTV, Martin Mabuto, said that they are proud that Osu and Oduah, did Nigeria proud.

``It is one of the hotly contested show, and they are good ambassadors,” Mabuto said.

DSTV would continue to provide the platform for people to excel.

The Namibian’s Dillish Mathews, 22 years, a psychology student, eventually won the 8th edition of BBA, and went home with 300000 USD.

Teenage musician advises girls to be hard working

 

Music

Lagos, Aug. 1, 2013 A 13-year-old gospel artiste, Valerie Ineh,  popularly known as IJ Valerie, on Thursday urged young girls to live exemplary lives through hard work.

Ineh said in Lagos that most of her songs were aimed at encouraging young people to live morally and embrace God.

The musician, whose seven-track album, ``Please the World”, will be launched soon, said many young girls believed that money could be made easily without working hard for it.

``I am trying to evangelise, to tell people, especially young girls, to live their lives for Christ.

``The aim is to use gospel songs to address and curb social vices, promote virtues of honesty, fear of God and peaceful co-existence, among others,'' Ineh said.

She said that she used her music to raise money to assist indigent children.

``There are a lot of homeless children and other people who need help; so, I decided to help where I can.

``We are supposed to be our brother’s keeper and love our neighbours as ourselves. That is what I want to do because most of them do not have anyone to help them,” she said.

Ineh, who is a dancer, writer and singer, also plays the piano and bass guitar.

She started singing at the age of seven when she was a member of a school choir in Christobel Junior Academy, Ojo, Lagos.

 Ineh is a Senior Secondary School (SS1) student of Hennateck International College, Iba, Lagos.

Born in Lagos, the teenager has featured in many shows and received many awards.

 

Govt urged to encourage youth to develop culture of creative art

 

Arts

Lagos, Aug. 10, 2013 Mr Yemisi Shyllon, the Founder of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), on Saturday urged all tiers of government to develop a culture of creative arts in the youth.

Shyllon said in Lagos that with government’s involvement, Nigerian art would be accorded the right priority and placed on the world map.

``We should aim at growing Nigerian art by letting the world know what we have cherish it and sell it to the world.

The engineer turned art enthusiast, said that he was using the foundation to mobilise children and direct them toward arts and culture.

`We don’t want the present generation to be a wasted generation. That is why I am doing what I am doing to let them know the importance of arts and culture.

``It is a long road but we are ready to travel that road to get it right,’’ he said.

Shyllon said that in April, the foundation and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, co-sponsored Secondary Schools' Art Competition.

He said that 20 secondary schools participated in on-the-spot life drawing.

``I am already working in conjunction with an organisation in Jos, Plateau, to sponsor primary and secondary schools’ arts competition.

``I want to help to develop the culture of creativity in the young ones; I want to catch them young.

``It (art competition) is also to make them know that hard work pays instead of involving themselves in the vices that are ravaging the country now.

``I will also sponsor children's workshop and the national art workshop with the University of Lagos Creative Arts Department on Sept. 23,'' he said.

He, however, said that what he was doing was measurable because he had produced numerous artists.

``Yes, what OYASAF is doing is a fulfillment of my life ambition to leave a legacy in life and the area which I decided to leave a legacy is in the art,’’ Shyllon said.

Since Shyllon ventured into art collection at the University of Ibadan decades ago, his interest in art had grown.

This preoccupation led him into not just art collection, but also sponsorship of art programmes and promotion of research in the visual art.

Shyllon is one of the leading art promoters in Nigeria, especially visual arts.

 

DG advises Nigerian children to develop their creative talents

 

Talents

Lagos, Aug. 14, 2013 The Director-General (DG), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), Martins Adaji, has urged parents, school principals and all tiers of government to encourage the Nigerian children to develop their creative talents.

Adaji who made the call on Wednesday while speaking in Lagos, added that the talent of the Nigerian children was nurtured through their creative ability.

The DG spoke against the backdrop of this year’s performing arts creativity organise yearly by the agency for children to showcase their talents in arts.

This year’s programme has as its theme: ``Arise Nigeria``.

Adaji said: ``it is high time we started grooming them young``.

``We want the children to learn our cultural dances, plays and songs and a whole lot, to make them know that they have a culture to fall back to.

``We also blend contemporary and modern dance with whatever they do to make it easier for them.

``The children are very eager to learn various performing arts and are happy to always come every long holidays to do that, `` he said.

Adaji said that the workshop was designed to engage the Nigerian child during the long vacation, adding, ``we want to make them know that hard work pays``.

The DG also said that the workshop was aimed at developing children’s interest in Nigeria not just as citizens but also as future leaders.

Ms. Josephine Igberaese, Head of Drama of NTN, said that games like chess, monopoly and scrabble would be introduced in this year’s programme.

Igberaese said that the outcome of the creative station workshop would be presented at a command performance slated for Sept.1, 2013 at the National Theatre, Iganmu.

We need more collaboration for live theatre to thrive, says Graham-Douglas

 

Arts

July 30, 2013 The Chief Executive Officer, Beeta Universal Art Foundation (BUAF), Bikiya Graham-Douglas, called on stakeholders for more collaborations in live theatre, performances to enable more production.

Graham-Douglas said that ``there is need for collaboration for live theatre industry so that it can thrive.

 ``Through partnership we can sustain it; we can't run away from collaboration. No man is an island.

``My company is focused on rejuvenating live theatre in Nigeria. We can't do it alone; so we need to work together.

``When people get together and have a production, they will see how their collaboration with each other has move things up over time.

``We must collaborate with ourselves to promote our industry, no one is going to do it for us; we have to do it by ourselves,” she said.

The CEO also an actress said that, ``we aim to create opportunities for people to access theatre performances and have cultures embedded in their minds, alongside preserving our cultural heritage through the arts.

``We craft performances to educate, enlighten and entertain, and also enrich our knowledge alongside propelling our minds to root long lasting memories of where we come from.

``We want to as well generate podiums for individuals to explore their talents in the arts.

``The truth about it is that we have to commend the stage performers in Nigerian because they refused to give up even with the environment working against them,” she said.

Graham-Douglas noted that theatre companies are coming up now, and every other week there is a stage production in Lagos, even in Abuja.

``There are other organisation that are making sure that there are more stage productions available”.

She stressed that the live theatre is not where it need to be, but ``I think it is very encouraging. We will continue to work hard to get there”.

``We will continue to perform, and hopefully the people will recognized it as viable then there will be a change. We have seen positive response,” she added.

She however said that, ``it is easier for you to reach your audience in film because you can be in your seating room and watch it; but for stage, you have to go out to be able to access it.

``One of our major problems with stages is that we do not have the enabling environment.

``Even if you want to put a production on stage, how many venues do we have? Even if you want to go to these venues, they are very expensive. How many people can afford it?

``Terra Kulture has been one of the major promoters of Nigerian theatre; we must commend them for that because they have given so many theatre practitioners a platform.

“Though it is not as big as we want it to be, but it is getting there, she said.

Graham-Douglas noted that her company has been doing enough to contribute to the growth of the sector.

``This is our fourth year BAUF had been in existence and ``we have had about 15 productions and different training programmes.

``We did a symposium with “Fella on Broadway” here in Nigerian for Theatre practitioners.

``We also organised a “Night of Music and Letters” where we tried to combine theatre, music and reading,” she said.

The actress also said that they are embarking on doing capacity building and stage productions for the industry and they are collaborating with other organization that is focused on training.

``It is in line with our focus at BUAF to continue to project Theatre and create opportunities where Theatre is seen as a liable entity”.

 

Sculptor regrets governments’ neglect of art sector

 

Sculptor

Lagos, Aug. 2, 2013 A renowned Sculptor, Bisi Fakeye, on Friday, regretted the ways and manner all tiers of government in the country neglected the arts sector.

Fakeye said this in Lagos and urged art students not to run away from carving but embrace it and painting in order to be self-employed.

``This concerns every Nigerian. When you don’t value your things and foreigners do it for you, you can’t claim that they are cheating us; we are the one cheating yourself.

``The act of creativity is from God. God has blessed this country with great men who are creative. It is our duty as a country to tap into it and wake up from our lethargy,” he said.

Fakeye, a.k.a. ``gbegilere``, meaning carver, said that teachers of sculpture should be encouraged in the nation’s tertiary institutions so that the students could imbibe the right attitude to work.

``No stone should be left unturned to allow sculpture to take a back stage. It should be treated very well as painting, `` Fakeye said.

The sculptor stressed that other countries don’t toy with their arts, adding that they could even go to war because of it.

``I always portray Nigeria as a loving country that has people of great potential. I have been doing all within me to further enhance the status of my country, nationally and internationally through carving.

``God has given us good creative minds in Nigeria, we should not abuse it but give them their rightful place so that they can be where they should be, `` he said.

Fakeye is of the sixth generation of the family of woodcarvers in Ila Orogun, Osun State,

He has placed Nigeria on international arts pedestal with his exhibition debut under the American Society of African Culture (AMSAC) which saw him appearing in newspapers way back in 1963 when he was just 21 years of age.

He has been involved in some solo and group exhibitions locally and internationally.

He is one of the in-house sculptors of the German Cultural Institute.

Govt urged to encourage youth to develop culture of creative art

Arts

Yemisi Shyllon, the Founder of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), on Saturday, 10 urged all tiers of government to develop a culture of creative arts in the youth.

Shyllon said this  in Lagos that with government’s involvement, Nigerian art would be accorded the right priority and placed on the world map.

``We should aim at growing Nigerian art by letting the world know what we have cherish it and sell it to the world.

The engineer turned art enthusiast, said that he was using the foundation to mobilise children and direct them toward arts and culture.

`We don’t want the present generation to be a wasted generation. That is why I am doing what I am doing to let them know the importance of arts and culture.

``It is a long road but we are ready to travel that road to get it right,’’ he  said.

Shyllon said that in April, the foundation and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, co-sponsored Secondary Schools' Art Competition.

He said that 20 secondary schools participated in on-the-spot life drawing.

``I am already working in conjunction with an organisation in Jos, Plateau, to sponsor primary and secondary schools’ arts competition.

``I want to help to develop the culture of creativity in the young ones; I want to catch them young.

``It (art competition) is also to make them know that hard work pays instead of involving themselves in the vices that are ravaging the country now.

``I will also sponsor children's workshop and the national art workshop with the University of Lagos Creative Arts Department on Sept. 23,'' he said.

He, however, said that what he was doing was measurable because he had produced numerous artists.

``Yes, what OYASAF is doing is a fulfillment of my life ambition to leave a legacy in life and the area which I decided to leave a legacy is in the art,’’ Shyllon said.

Shyllon ventured into art collection at the University of Ibadan decades ago, his interest in art had grown.

This preoccupation led him into not just art collection, but also sponsorship of art programmes and promotion of research in the visual art.

Shyllon is one of the leading art promoters in Nigeria, especially visual arts.

 

Tuface urges Nigerians to shun pirated materials

 

Piracy

Nigeria music icon, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as Tuface, has urged Nigerians to shun pirated intellectual materials, just like adulterated drugs.

``If pirated copyright materials do not have people to buy them, they will stay on the shop shelves and the shops will eventually close.

``But if we continue to patronise them, the pirates will continue to sell,’’ Idibia said in Lagos.

He also implored the government and agencies saddled with the enforcement of anti-piracy laws, to be decisive in the clamp down on culprits.

``They are criminals, just like the thieves we catch on the streets,” he said.

According to him, the agencies should go all out and eliminate piracy as no crime syndicate should be stronger than the government.

``We know that it cannot be wiped out in one day, it will take time, but we all should come on board and start on the right path.

`` To be honest with you, corruption is the reason why piracy is still a major issue in Nigeria.

``If radio stations are not paying royalties, government should know that they are losing a lot. They should help artistes get royalties, so that we can also pay tax for the nation’s development.

`` If the government knows that these artistes have to pay heavy taxes and they are going to make a lot of money from collecting these taxes, they will do something,” he said.

Idibia expressed disappointment that the police could not see people who sell pirated compact discs and other copyright materials as criminals.

``If you complain, the police will look at you, just like you want to deny these boys of their means of livelihood. They do not even know it’s a crime, and it is a punishable offence; so, it is a serious issue,” he said.

Idibia said that his desire was to see the return of high quality music to Nigeria in terms of production and its packaging.

``When this happens and you sell it for the appropriate price, we will be able to make more money and be able to compete with our counterparts in other parts of the world.” 

 

The Great Proposal

The great proposal

congrats girl

ANA President urges FG, State Governments to tackle book piracy

Books

The President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dagga Tolar, has urged the Federal and State Governments to urgently address the issue of book piracy in the country.

The ANA president said that piracy had become the bane of Nigerian writers, adding that it was taking its toll on them.

``If you come to Ajegunle, for instance, there are thriving printing presses that are busy pirating people’s works, and we need to take urgent action to stem the situation.

``They pirate these books in hundreds of thousands,” he said.

Tolar said that piracy needed to be tackled with appropriate action, noting that most of the books that pupils read in schools today were pirated materials with numerous missing links.

According to him, the prints in most pirated copies are usually blurred.

``These individuals need to know that it is people’s intellectual property that they are killing, and that they are depriving authors of their livelihood,” he said.

Tolar noted that piracy was thriving because some people were only striving to survive, ``so they do all sorts of things, many of which are to the detriment of others.

``They cause authors of such works to suffer,” adding: ``the pirates sell the books at the cheapest prices ever.”

The ANA president noted that if the unit cost of a pirated book was N100, for instance, and the pirate printed a million copies, one could can imagine what he was stealing from the owner of the copyright.

``A publisher contends with taxes, royalties and other production costs, but when he eventually fixes his unit price, it may look outrageous to those who do not have a good idea of his production profile,’’ Tolar said.

He said that writers, publishers and even the pirates ought to be registered and get organised, so that ``we should be able to know ourselves.”

``Every publishing company, for instance, should be able to sponsor one writer so that if they are churning out copies of books, writers of such books can as well get some benefits for their works,” he said.

Tolar regretted that the police arrested the pirates, only to release them to continue with their illicit business.

However, the ANA president noted that book piracy could only be stopped when the government began to jail them.

``We need to do a re-think and re-organise the society for things to take a better shape.

``Art is priceless, but it is only when it is adequately protected that it can help to give the society an identity and also impact on job creation,” he said.

 

My Problem With Patience Jonathan - Governor Amaechi

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum,  Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi said his perceived misunderstanding with the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan arose out of his desire to provide a conducive learning environment for the children of Okrika, home town of the First Lady
Amaechi said he has enormous respect for both President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.
He spoke when clergymen of the Niger Delta Bishops’ Forum visited him in Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday as part of their efforts mediate in the political crisis in the state.

A Case For “True” Federalism By Chido Onumah

No topic has generated as much interest in the ongoing bogus constitution amendment process as the issue of local government autonomy. That we have embarked on wholesale amendment 14 years after we were handed a constitution by the military high command is a measure of the instability in the polity.